Analog vs digital?


Hi all! My first posting so please be gentle!
I've just had my old Linn LP12 turntable tuned up. It's been over 25 years since its had any attention. 
Nothing replaced just readjusted and I'm blown away by the result. 
It's so much more involving than the digital part of my system. 
Singxer SU-6, Denafrips Terminator. 
The Linn LP12 and  Ekos arm is over 30 years old.
I'm confused! 
Technology seems to be going backwards. Is it all for convenience? 
128x128nzastro
@nzastro,
" Bugger! Now I feel like I have to try n improve the digital streaming.
It's a bummer when you have a fussy personality!
Could a dedicated hard wired (cat6) streamer/storage unit improve the listening experiance?
As I said earlier I'm new at this digital thing and there's not much help or gear to trial here in NZ so I appeal to those of you that have the experiance.
Anyway any positive realistic ideas would be much appreciated"

Each responder will tell you to do it the way they did it.  You have a great start with your Singxer and Denafrips.*  My general recommendation is to get your music into files on a hard disk and not to send them through a phone, Tablet or computer where they are compromised by all the noise and commotion in such devices.  So you won't have to use any de-crapifier.  A network connected digital bridge worked wonders for me,  Music files come from a hard disk (or NAS) into the bridge and go out by USB to the (Singxer for your) DAC.  Control is by a computer program run on any network connected device you have.  I use JRiver on a laptop running the bridge as a DLNA device, plus an android phone.  Any Audioquest USB cable, even the least expensive, can work very well.

*It's evident that some who have written don't know how excellent these units are.


I’m a Digital Man versus being an Analog Kid. But I’ve never had a Vinyl setup as resolving as yours. My Digital rig consists of a PS Audio DirectStream DAC fed into a BAT VK50-SE Preamp. It’s as close to Vinyl as I’ll ever get. I sold all my Vinyl years ago but ripped them 96/24 WAV files for when I’m in the mood to listen to Vinyl.

I too borrowed the Denafrips Terminator and tried it in my system. It's a great DAC but with no 30 day money back or any North American support. I'm out on that. Many things it did equally well as the PS Audio DSSr. but there were things the the DSSr. did better than the Terminator DAC. Also, the PS Audio DAC is way more flexible WRT to inputs and has an LCD Display along with a remote control. The DTerminator has neither.
Ah! Another Linn devotee. I too have an LP12/Valhalla which also got a tune up this year. New belt, cleaned and lubed bearing and a thorough recalibration of the suspension and tone arm. Pop would have been delighted with the result as its performance also improved greatly after the long needed servicing. I do still enjoy the whole vinyl gestalt. I find it more relaxing, more deliberate, than simply dialing up something on my streamer... OTOH when it's Friday evening (cocktail time!) my wife and I do enjoy letting Amazon curate the music and not have to get up to "flip the record". And the sound is perfectly adequate to enjoy a sidecar with and catch up on the week with each other... I believe each have their high points (and disadvantages) but I enjoy the times we live in as audiophiles. Digital gives us the opportunity to explore so much more new music than some of us could afford before and vinyl is enjoying a renaissance of new pressings... Win, win!

Happy listening...
My friends $25,000 TT blows away his $500 CD player.  Another friends $5000 CD player certainly sound better than his Grace TT (rebadged Planar 9), Grace 707 arm, and Grace F-9 cartridge, but not by as much as I would have thought.